posted on October 12, 2001 02:39:46 AM
Can anyone advise on this:
I am a UK based seller, sold an item to a buyer in the US. She sent me a check ($295), when it cleared I sent her the item. Everything nice.
Five(!) months later the same ammount is removed from my (UK, Halifax) account and the bank says US bank claimed the money back with the reason 'insufficient funds'. The buyer's e-mail is re-routed back ('account does not exist)!
I still have her address - what does the international law do in such case???
posted on October 12, 2001 03:42:13 AM
i am actually most annoyed with the banking system, never encountered this before. Is it a normal practice for a bank to cancel a check five months later?
posted on October 12, 2001 03:56:05 AM
1. It is obviously illegal. If the bidder still lives in the place of residence where you mailed the package and sent the letter, you may contact the local police department and let them know the check was no good and the bidder should be prosecuted.
2. eMail Safeharbor. While this is beyond the time limits, they might do something. Don't hold your breath.
3. If the package and check was delivered, even partially, by the USPS, then this is also potentially mail fraud. Go to the USPS web site for information.
4. Talk to your bank. It does not take 5 months to safely clear a check even by carrier pigeon and the bottle in the ocean. I'd get a new bank.
5. No checks from foreign lands--hey this should have been real obvious. None of the things above may help you, but knowing that the person gets into trouble with local and federal authorities is not so bad
posted on October 12, 2001 06:41:59 AM
sounds like deliberate act of fraud to me.
ebay offers insurance,there is a deductible and a max on claim,check it out.
you will be able to recover over 200 dollars from ebay.
international bank clearance can be slow and cumbersome,expecially small bank in small town,they clear through other banks.
down here we can get an american express intl money order from our bank free,you should be able to cash it at any american express office free or local bank for a fee.
but then some foreign banks charge a big fee and takes a long time .
posted on October 12, 2001 08:06:08 AM
In the USA, there would be a procedure for you to follow, which would result in your being protected from this kind of thing.
What has most likely happened is that your buyer was in fact a crook who opened the bank account with some fraudulent instrument. Five months later, the bank sorted it out, and retroactively bounced the checks they had paid out.
This is normal behavior. It might not seem fair, but it is normal, and it is not illegal.
I don't know what bank consumer protection laws exist in the UK, but if I were you I would ask my bank if there is some formal way to protest this action.
posted on October 12, 2001 09:07:59 AM
3 years ago,a guy shipped over 400 dollars worth of ruby glass to a uk buyer who mailed him a us dollar check drawn on an english bank .
he sent the goods out and then found out his bank cannot clear the check for him.
buyer claimed he did his share,sending a good check and too bad for him.
so seller diligently track his activities on ebay and warned other sellers.
this uk buyer won a book from me and as i was notified of the problem by this unhappy seller,i asked him for a money order or check drawn on us bank.
he has a girl friend in this country and she made out the payment from her PA bank account,so no problem there and i shipped the book.
then comes this email from her-book flew out of the jiffy bag due to my poor packing .so i sent her a replacement book.
looking back,scam artists work in pair,
posted on October 12, 2001 09:59:01 AM
This reminds me of the story of the little boy who while taking a tour at the Hersey's factory, fell into a 1000 gallon vat of chocolate and started to drown. As he was surely sinking to a syrupy demise, he began to yell 'Fire', and nearby workers came to his aid and pulled him from the vat. He was later asked why he was yelling fire, and he politely stated, 'Cause no one would help me if I yelled Chocolate'!!........ (-;
